FREEPORT – The 2-11 Freeport boys played host to their 7-6 Yarmouth rivals Saturday night, but home court advantage and a great deal of heart weren’t enough to change the Falcons’ fortunes. From the opening tip-off onward, the Clippers put together a staggering offensive effort that left Freeport far behind, leading to a 94-41 loss.
The Falcons were looking to rebound Tuesday at Fryeburg Academy, played after the Tri-Town Weekly’s deadline, before taking on Traip Academy, also on the road, Friday at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the Clippers got on the board first, sophomore Adam LaBrie needing only 11 seconds to drain his first basket, a three. Falcon junior Chandler Birmingham went 2 for 2 at the line 13 seconds later to keep the early game close, and the teams continued to tussle in this manor for another minute or so. Yarmouth junior Nathanial Shields-Auble added two for his team, but Birmingham dropped in a three for his, and the game was tied.
Soon, however, the Clippers’ offense would begin to post multiple baskets for each one by Freeport. LaBrie and senior teammate Henry Christian tallied five more for Yarmouth before Birmingham, who finished with a team-high 23 points, could land another two, and then the Clippers launched into a spectacular run of 14 that included contributions by Shields-Auble, LaBrie, seniors Adam Wriggins and Chase Hughes, and juniors David Murphy and Wyatt Jackson. At the end of quarter one, Yarmouth was already on top 27-7.
The first minute of the second quarter held nothing but free throws. Shields-Auble went 1 for 2 for the Clippers and Falcon freshman Jack Davenport went 2 for 2. Yarmouth put 10 more on the board before Freeport could sink another basket from the field, although Birmingham interrupted the assault when he tallied two more from the line for the Falcons. He drained a three just past the halfway mark of the quarter to initiate a substantial run of Freeport’s own, a 10-point run punctuated only by a Clippers’ two from Murphy. Davenport contributed four from the line to Freeport’s fight, and sophomore Brendan Qualls nailed a three. But Yarmouth closed the half strong, with six unanswered, including two from Wriggins on a takeaway. Turnovers had been, and would continue to be, a problem for Freeport throughout the game. Going to the locker rooms at the half, they were down 50-20.
The second half proceeded much like the first. Despite playing hard, Freeport still couldn’t find a groove, and the Clippers were able to open their lead up further. LaBrie, Shields-Auble, Wriggins, Henry, and Wyatt all added more points for Yarmouth in the third quarter, as did juniors Ethan Gage and Benjamin Still, and sophomore Jordan Brown. Still and Brown both scored points off steals. After three, the Clippers had increased their lead to 76-27.
The teams’ play was more neck-in-neck in the fourth. Yarmouth won the quarter, but only by four points. The Clippers put up 18 in the last eight minutes on continued slice-and-dice performances by Brown and company, but Birmingham and teammate Qualls led a resurgence that ultimately gave Freeport 14 more. It wasn’t enough, of course; the Clippers had simply pulled too far ahead, and at the final buzzer, claimed their eighth victory of the season.
Freeport junior Chandler Birmingham blows up the baseline past a Yarmouth defender. Staff photos by Adam Birt
Yarmouth junior Nathaniel Shields-Auble fights to the net past Freeport’s Connor Dietrich.
Falcon Ramsey Dodge fends off Yarmouth’s Ethan Gage.
Freeport senior Jeremy Ketch passes toward the net against Yarmouth Saturday night.
Freeport sophomore Ramsey Dodge releases a two over the head of Yarmouth Clipper Ethan Gage in Freeport’s loss Saturday night.
Freeport senior Dan Burke can’t reach to block a Yarmouth jumper.
Yarmouth junior Wyatt Jackson fights to maintain possession beneath the Freeport net.
Freeport defenders, including Matt Schultheis (13), Chandler Birmingham (24) and Connor Dietrich (32) swarm Yarmouth’s Henry Christian as he drives upward for two.
Clipper David Murphy passes past Freeport junior Mark Donahue.
Freeport senior Dan Burke throws himself into Yarmouth sophomore Adam LaBrie in the teams’ meeting Saturday night.
Yarmouth’s David Murphy lays in an easy two.
Clippers senior Adam Wriggins windmills his way toward the Freeport net Saturday night.
Clippers Christian and Wriggins pin Falcon senior Erick Ferraras, hoping to strip him off the ball.
Yarmouth’s Adam LaBrie slides past Freeport’s Jack Davenport.
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